After announcing plans to close hundreds of underperforming locations in the first half of 2026, a fast-food burger chain has revealed major changes across its business, including the possibility of additional restaurant closures, as it works to reverse ongoing declines in traffic and sales.
The company has also acknowledged that its focus on cost and efficiency has, in some cases, weakened the brand's differentiation, a challenge it now faces as competition in the restaurant industry grows.
The chain is also facing challenges with customer satisfaction. Wendy's scored 77 out of 100 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), placing it below several major fast-food rivals in the 2026 rankings.
Wendy's (WEN) is taking action after reporting its sixth consecutive quarter of declines, launching a major turnaround plan and updating its capital allocation strategy to provide the flexibility needed to support that effort.
"Today we are clearly not performing at our potential," said Wendy's President and CEO Bob Wright in the company's second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings release. "I returned to Wendy's because I believe we can fix our issues and I am excited to work with our team and our franchisees to drive a strong turnaround."

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